Category Buyer, Brazilian Market

As a Category Buyer at Weee! for the Brazilian Market, your core responsibilities include developing and executing merchandising strategies, sourcing products, and optimizing the product assortment to maximize sales and profitability. You will also conduct market research to stay ahead of trends, manage vendor relationships to negotiate optimal pricing, oversee inventory management to prevent out-of-stock situations, and collaborate with marketing on promotional campaigns.

To qualify for the Category Buyer role at Weee!, candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or a related field, or possess 4+ years of relevant work experience. Fluency in both Brazilian Portuguese and English is essential, alongside a deep passion for Brazilian culture and food. Previous retail experience and knowledge of market research and data analysis are advantageous.

The Category Buyer role is pivotal to Weee!'s growth, particularly in the Brazilian Market. By curating product assortments that resonate with customers and enhancing vendor relationships, the Category Buyer ensures that Weee! stays competitive while meeting the unique needs of the Brazilian community in the U.S. Your insights into market trends will help shape Weee!'s offerings, driving sales and customer satisfaction.

Weee! fosters a dynamic and inclusive work environment. As a Category Buyer, you will work onsite in Fremont, California, collaborating with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced setting. We encourage creativity and initiative, where everyone’s input is valued as we push to redefine the grocery business for our diverse customer base.

Weee! offers an array of benefits to Category Buyers, including comprehensive health insurance packages, a 401k plan with a company match, equity and bonuses, generous vacation time, and a mobile stipend. We also provide opportunities for personal and professional growth within the rapidly expanding ethnic grocery sector.

When discussing your interest in the Category Buyer role at Weee!, emphasize your passion for food and culture, particularly Brazilian cuisine. Highlight your eagerness to contribute to product curation and to optimize the shopping experience for customers, reflecting your understanding of market dynamics.

Discuss your vendor negotiation strategy by emphasizing the importance of building relationships, understanding vendor needs, and being clear on your objectives. Share examples of how you've successfully negotiated favorable terms while maintaining a positive rapport with vendors in previous roles.

When asked about your market research experience, illustrate how you have used data to identify trends, consumer preferences, and competitive movements. Provide concrete examples that highlight your analytical skills and your ability to translate research into actionable merchandising decisions.

Explain that to ensure your product assortment meets customer needs, you rely on regular market analysis, customer feedback, and collaboration with marketing teams. Share how you prioritize identifying hero products and emerging trends to keep the assortment fresh and exciting for customers.

Discuss strategies such as running targeted promotions, focusing on seasonal products, or leveraging social media to raise awareness about new offerings. Emphasize how you would employ data-driven insights to refine these strategies for maximum impact.

Key performance metrics for a Category Buyer include sales performance, gross margins, product availability, and inventory turnover rates. Highlight how you would track and analyze these metrics to inform decision-making and identify areas for improvement.

Discuss techniques you use to manage inventory levels, such as collaborating closely with supply chain teams, analyzing historical sales data, and implementing reorder points. Share how proactive inventory management directly contributes to preventing stockouts and optimizing product availability.

Provide a specific example of a past operational issue with a vendor, detailing the problem, your approach to addressing it, and the successful resolution. Focus on your communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to maintaining strong vendor relationships.

Explain that you would use a combination of sales data, customer feedback, and inventory turnover rates to evaluate product performance. Emphasize the importance of being flexible and data-informed in decision-making to adapt to market trends.

Discuss your understanding of cultural nuances and how they impact product marketing. Emphasize your ability to collaborate with marketing teams to refine product titles and campaigns to resonate with various Brazilian communities, ensuring that merchandising strategies reflect cultural authenticity.